Liquid-level controlled devices



April 1961 H. R. BILLETER ETAL 2,977,972

LIQUID-LEVEL CONTROLLED DEVICES Original Filed June 1, 1955 3 3 2 SIM m2 5 3 R a f 0 0 j 2 e a 2 2 H 2 2 2 M .Z w WE 2 1,. TB. e 1D 0.. 3M

tates LIQUID-LEVEL CONTROLLED DEVICES Henry Robert Biileter and GeorgeE. Richards, Deerfield, 111., assignors to Liquid Controls Corporation,North Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Original application June1, 1955, Ser. No. 512,551. Divided and this application Nov. 19, 1958,Ser. No. 775,045 l 8 Claims. cl. 137-202 Devices having a valve orvalves controlledby the level ofa liquid in a container are in wide use.Among such devices are air eliminators for removing air or other gasesatent and rugged in construction, eifective in operation and whichrequires a minimum of servicing, repair of replacement of parts overalong period of use.

Another object is to provide a new and improved valve.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the appended drawingwherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an air eliminator embodying ourinvention, with portions broken away and in section.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown an air eliminatorwhich includes a head 200 formed by a hollow casing 2191 having a bottomflange 22 by which the head is secured to a flange 23 of a tank 24 whichmay be from liquid lines; In air eliminators of conventionalconstruction a chamber having a valve-controlled outlet is connected toa liquid line and a float is disposed. in the chamber and is connectedto the valve for opening or closing thevalve in accordance with theliquid level in the chamber. Thus, so long as air continues to enter thechamber from the liquid line, the liquid level does not rise and thefloat remains at a low level'so that the valve remains open. Howevenwhenthe air no longer enters the chamber, the liquid level rises and liftsthe float to close the valve and thus pervent further discharge of airand any discharge of the liquid. V

Prior air eliminators usually employed a valve of the poppet type. Apoppet valve has the disadvantage that when there is a substantialdifference in pressures of the fluid on opposite sides of the valveseat, a large force is required to open the valve, which'force-isdifficult to provide by means of a float. Various attempts have beenmade. to provide pressure balancing means for valves for counteractingthe unbalanced fluid pressure forces thereon but they have been eithercomplicated in construction or not fully efliective. Balancedslide'valves also. have been, employed but the disadvantages thereof,such asthe friction inherent therein, has rendered them generallyunsatisfactory for use in air eliminators. p

Devices embodying float actuated valvesalso are used for such variedpurposes as segregating two immiscible liquids such as petroleumproducts and water, controlling fluid actuated devices, primingcentrifugal pumps and 1 other uses.

the difference in fluid pressureson opposite sides of the valve seat orseats.

Another object is to provide a liquid-level controlled device having avalve of such construction and arrangement as to be inherently balancedand to present substan tially no resistance to an opening or closingforce, regardless of the diiierencein pressure on opposite sides of thevalve seat or seats. 1 v

Another object is to provide a liquid-level controlled device having avalve or valves of such construction and arrangement that the differencein fluid pressure on opposite sides of the valve seat or seats serve toaid inmaintaining the valve or valves closed but presents no substantialresistance to opening or closing of the valve or valves.

Still another object is'to provide a liquid-level controlled device.whichis simple and inexpensive to build, strong of any conventionalconstruction. The head 200 is secured to the tank 24 in any suitablemanner, as for example by machine screws 25.

The interior of the air eliminator tank 24 communicates with theinterior of the head 2% through openings 21% formed in a plate 218, thepurpose of which will appear hereinafter, which plate is secured in thecasing 201 in a suitable manner, as by a spring ring 32. The jointbetween the head 20fl'and the tank 24 is sealed in a suitable manner, asby an O ring 33 disposed in a groove 34 in the bottom face of the flange22. The casing 201 is of circular cross-section throughout, witha lowercylindrical portion 262 and an upper generally cylindrical portion 203,preferably of larger diameter than the lower portion 202. The casing 261thus defines a float chamber 204 having a reduced lower portion and anenlarged upper portion.

The casing, as will beseen from the drawing is generally unitary inconstruction and is closed by a cover 205 suitably secured to the casing291 as by screws 206. Disposed within the upper portion 203 of thecasing and secured therein as by the cover 2115 is a cylindrical orificeplate 211 which forms with the upper casing portion 223 an annularchamber 212. The orifice plate 210 is provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced, vertically elongate orifices 211 which providecommunicatiton be 218 provided with the openings 219 which as aforesaidpermit communication between the float chamber 204 and the chamber (notshown) of the main porticnof the air elimnator or tank 24 which isadapted to be connected to the fluid line (not shown). The hollow stem217, in addition to serving as means for guiding the float 215 along thepost 237 for vertical movement, also serves as a stop to limit theupward movement of the float 215 by abutment against the cover 205.

.'A valve 220 is provided for controlling the opening and closing of theorifices 211. This valve takes the form of a flexible sleeve formed froma'suit-able flexible resilient material such as synthetic rubber orother plastic material having suitable properties. The sleeve or valve220 is secured at its lower end to the orifice plate 210 adjacentthe'lower end thereof as by an adhesive and is secured at its upper endto a spreader plate 221 which is secured to the hollow stem 217 and hasa flange 222 depending from the main body of the plate 221- me directionparallel to and spaced inwardly from the orifice plate 210. The spreaderplate 221 is provided with a plurality of openings 223 which permitliquid or gas to flow therethrough so that there is no interference withthe v i m eme zffi pre der P a e u!- the i connected float. The upperend of the sleeve 226 is adhesively secured to the flange 222 of thespreader plate 221.

The sleeve or valve 220 issupported by the orifice plate 210 and by thespreader plate 221 by securement at its ends to each of theaforementioned members with the portion of the sleeve 220 intermediateits ends being free and capableof being flexed upon vertical movement ofthe spreader plate 221 and the connected members. The sleeve 220, due toits shape and resiliency extends along and in firm engagement with theinner face of the orifice plate at the portion upwardly of the securedend to an extent determined by the position of the float 215. Theportion of the sleeve 22 which is not in engagement with either thecylindrical orifice plate 210 or the spreader plate 221 is free toadjust itself to an arcuate shape as shown.

The casing portion 263 is provided with an outlet 234} which threadedlyreceives a pipe 231 which communicates with the chamber 212 and, throughthe orifices 211 communicates with the float chamber 294. Thus, when airor other gas is expelled from the float chamber 264 by the rising of thelevel of the liquid in the float chamber 2534, such air or other gas iscarried away from the chamber 212 by the pipe 231.

in the operation of the invention illustrated in Fig. l the tank 24 issutiably connected to a liquid line (not shown) from which it is desiredto remove air. Assuming that the air has been removed and the liquidstands in the head 2% at a level suflicient to raise the float to itsuppermost position, the valve 226 is in closed position. Thus the valvelies against the orifice plate 210 and extends entirely over andsealingly closes the oriflees 211, so that no liquid can escape from thehead.

It will be noted that the valve 220 lies flat against the orifice platethroughout a substantial zone thereof and particularly a zone on bothsides of and above and below the orifices 211, so that the latter arefully closed. The spring pressure provided by the valve 220 by reason ofits resiliency and arcuate form insures that the closing portionsthereof are maintained against the orifice plate regardless of whetheror not the air or liquid within the float chamber 294 is under pressure.

When air (or other gases) enters the float chamber 2 14 from the liquidline, such air displaces the liquid in the float chamber 264 and causesthe level to fall. When this occurs, the float 215, which is .buoyantlysupported by the liquid, also falls and carries with it the stem 217 towhich the valve 22% is connected, through the spreader plate 221. Thedownward movement of the stern 217 causes the spreader plate 221 to movedownwardly in a direction parallel to the face of the orifice plate 210,with the result that the portions of the valve me which previously layagainst the orifice plate 210 are stripped or peeled" away from theorifice plate 21% progressively downwardly and as the downward movementof the float continues the orifices 211 are progressively uncovered in adirection from the upper portions thereof toward the lower portions.

Regardless of the diflerences in the pressures on the two sides of eachof the valve seats, namely the pressure inside the float chamber and thepressure in the chamber 212, there is substantially no resistance to theopening force exerted on the valve by the downward move ment of thefloat. It will be seen that while there is a pressure differential onthe two sides of the valve, which is applied over those portions of theface of the valve which overly the corresponding orifices and whichforce tends to maintain the valve against the orifice plate to close theorifice, nevertheless this force is not substantially eflcctive inopposing the opening of the valve. It will be seen that the valve isprogressively pulled away from its orifice plate and, owing to theresilience of the valve and the arcuate shape into which the valve isforced by the manner in which it is attached to the casing and to thespreader plate, the valve is moved away from the orifice plate inprogressively small increments so that only a small portion of the areaof the valve which overlies the orifice plate is moved away from theplate at any instant. Thus, the orifices are progressively uncovered insmall increments and any force opposing the movement of such smallincrements of the valve away from the orifice plate is extremely small.

The valve 220 is so supported and the arrangement of the associatedelements is such that the tree portion of the valve has at least aportion which retains a bowed form in all positions of the float. Thusit will be seen that as the float moves downwardly and carries with itthe corresponding end of the valve which is secured to the spreaderplate the portion of the valve adjacent the end which is attached to thecasing is progressively curved and is peeled away from the orificeplate.

As soon as the orifices 211 have been uncovered by the above-describedopening movement of the valve 220, the air or gas trapped in the floatchamber above the level of the liquid in the system and which normallyis under some pressure is caused to flow out of the float chamberthrough the orifices 211, the chamber 212 and the vent pipe 231 by whichit is conducted to a point of disposal.

When the air or other gas has been discharged to such an extent that theliquid level rises sufficiently to support and lift the float 215, thelatter is elevated and causes the valve 220 to be moved in a reversedirection to that described above in connection with the opening of thevalve. That is to say that as the float 215 moves upwardly the valve iscaused to progressively move against the orifice plate to an increasingdegree and to progressively close the orifices until the latter arecompletely closed and the valve extends in contact with the orificeplate both above and below the orifices. When the valve is closed nofurther air or gas can escape from the float chamber. It will beunderstood that during the upward movement of the float and theprogressive movement of the outer portions of the valve into increasingengagement with the orifice plate, no significant amount of energy isrequired to eifect this movement of the valve.

It will be noted that the valve 220 takes the form of a cylindricalsleeve and is completely balanced in a direction transversely to itsvertical axis so that normally there is no engagement between the float215 and the guide post 237 under normal conditions. Moreover, the valve220 is maintained against the orifice plate by its own inherentresilience, aided by the pressure within the float chamber 204 wheresuch pressure exists and thus closes the orifices when in its upperposition.

However, it should be noted that where a spreader plate is employedwhich has a short flange such as the spreader plate 233 of Fig. l, thevalve will not necessarily retain the same curvature through its entirerange of movement. Under such circumstances, it may be found that aslightly greater force is required to eflect operation of the valve thanwould be the case where the flange is sufliciently long to insure thatthe valve retains the same curvature in all positions.

However, the valve 220 as illustrated is of such construction that uponan opening or closing movement of the valve, effected by the verticalmovement of the float 215, as controlled by the level of the liquid inthe float chamber 204, the valve 220 changes its shape and positionunder such control but at the same time the free portion retains itsarcuate shape and no substantial force is required to efiect such changein shape and position, inasmuch as the amount of energy required toefiect the bending of the'valve element is provided by the valve elementitself at the portion at which it is flattening or returning tocylindrical shape. Moreover, since the valve element 220 moves betweenopen and closed t position orvice versa -in"a manner which provides forthe progressive uncovering or closing of the orifices, there issubstantially no significant resistance or opposition to the-opening ofthe valve 220.

The invention provides an extremely simple and reliable form of aireliminator which can be constructed very inexpensively and which at thesame time provides reliable andefiective operation over a long period ofuse without the necessity for servicing, repair or replace ment ofparts, Owing to the fact that the air eliminator andparticularly thevalve thereof is completely symmetrical about the vertical axisof thedevice, the possibility ofany appreciable unbalance of forces in thedevice ispractically eliminated. Moreover, because of the cylindricalform of the device not only is it completely balanced but at the sametime it can be so constructed as to provide a very large capacity forthe outflow of air or other gases, for any particular size of aireliminator head.

The present invention also'is excellently well adapted to application toa fluid segregaton 'As will be understood a fluid segregator is employedin order to separate twofluids of different densities or specificgravities as for example a petroleum product and water. Such segregationis effected by causing the liquids to flow into a container whereby theheavier of the two liquids settles to the bottom of the container andaccordingly may be withdrawn while the lighter of the two liquids risestoward the upper portion of the container and floats on the heavierliquid. The separation of the liquids is eflected by controlling theoutflow of the heavier liquid by means of a float controlled valve sothat the heavier liquid flows out of the container until such time asthe heavier liquid is substantially entirely withdrawn from thecontainer whereupon the valve is closed so that none of the lighterliquid is permitted to flow from the container. In other words, thefluid segregator operates in a manner somewhat analogous to the aireliminator except that instead of removing the lighter of the two fluidsat the top of the apparatus, in the segregator the heavier of the twofluidsis removed from the bottom of the device. I

It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides adevice which is highly effective for separating two immiscible fluids ofdiflerent specific gravi! ties such as two liquids or a liquid and agas. The device is applicable to a large number of uses including use asan air eliminator, or as a liquid segregator, or as a control device andothers.

The device of the present invention is very simple in construction andmay be manufactured at relatively low cost. There is substantially nowear of the parts and there is a minimum requirement for repair,adjustment or replacem-entover a long period of use.

The device is relatively compact for any predetermined capacity and itmay be made in a wide range of sizes for various applications.

The valve construction is not only very simple and therefore does notrequire complicated parts or mechanisms but is highly effective andthere is no leakage past the valve at either high or low pressures.

The construction of thevalve and its actuating mechanism is such thatthere is substantially no resistance to opening or closing and thereforethe valve may be opened or closed with an extremely small force. In allof the forms of my invention the 'valves are balanced so that there issubstantially no opportunity for frictional resistance upon the movementof the float. Because of the foregoing a very light float may beemployed for operating the valve or valves and no linkage is required.The valve is self closing and no special closing means is required.Moreover, the pressure diiferential across the valve seat aids inmaintaining the valve closed but at thesame time does not interpose anysignificant resistance to the opening of the valve.

This application is a division, of our copending application Serial No.512,551, filed June 1, 1955, now abandoned, of. which our co-pendi ngapplication No. 775,077 filed November 19, 1958, is also a division.

We claim:

1. A liquid-level controlled device, comprising a casing defining afloat chamber and having an inlet opening into said chamber and acylindrical wall portion provided with an outlet orifice, float meansincluding a valve-actuating element guided for movement in said chamberand a valve element including a flexible resilient sleeve member securedat one end to said valve-actuating elementand at the other end to saidcasing in a position whereby a portion of said sleeve lies flat againstsaid wall portion in sealing-relation to said orifice when saidactuating element is in one position and is displacedfrom said orificewhen said actuating element is in another position, and the portion ofsaid sleeve member intermediate said secured portion is curved back uponitself, said sleeve member being open at both ends with its interiorcommunicating with the interior of said chamber whereby fluid flowingfrom said inlet to said orifice passes through said sleeve member, andthe intermediate portion of said sleeve member is exposed on both facesto equal fluid pressure.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of verticallyelongate outlet orifices are provided in said cylindrical Wall portion.

3 The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating element isin axial alignment with said cylindrical wall portion.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating elementincludes a spreader having a cylindrical portion with a surfaceconcentric with said wall portion and to which surface said sleevemember is secured, said portion of said sleeve member lies flat againstsaid wall portion in sealing relation to said orifice when saidactuating element is in one position and is displaced from said orificewhen said actuating element is in another position, and the portion ofsaid sleeve member intermediate said secured portions is curved backupon itself, said valve element having openings therein providingcommunication between the interior of said sleeve member and theinterior of said chamber whereby fluid flowing from said inlet to theorifice passes through said valve element, and the portion of saidsleeve member which is curved back upon itself is exposed on both facesto equal fluid pressure.

6. A liquid-level controlled device, comprising a casing defining achamber and having an inlet opening into said chamber and a cylindricalwall portion provided with an outlet orifice, a spreader guided formovement in said chamber and a valve element including a flexible,resilient sleeve member secured at one end to said spreader and at theother end to said casing in a position whereby a portion of said sleevemember lies flat against said wall portion in sealing relation to saidorifice when said spreader is in one position and is displaced from saidorifice when said spreader is in another position, and the portion ofsaid sleeve member intermediate said secured portion is curved back uponitself, said sleeve member being open at both ends with its interiorcommunicating with the interior of said chamber whereby fluid flowingfrom said inlet to said orifice passes through said sleeve member, andthe intermediate portion of said sleeve member is exposed on both facesto equal fluid pressure.

7. A liquid-level controlled device, comprising casing means defining afloat chamber and having an inlet opening into said chamber and acylindrical surface portion provided with an outlet orifice, float meansincluding a valve-actuating element guided for movement in said chamberand a valve element including a flexible resilient sleeve member securedat one end to said valve-actuating element and at the other end to saidcasing means in a position whereby a portion of said sleeve member liesflat against said surface portion in sealing relation to said orificewhen said actuating element is in one position and is displaced fromsaid orifice when said actuating elemen is in another position, and theportion of said sleeve member intermediate said secured portion iscurved back upon itself, said actuating element having an openingtherein whereby said sleeve member is exposed on both faces of saidintermediate portion to the same fluid pressure.

8. A liquid-level controlled device comprising means defining a floatchamber and having an inlet opening into said chamber and a cylindricalsurface portion provided with an outlet orifice, float means includingan actuating element guided for vertical movement in said chamber and avalve element including a flexible, resilient tubular sleeve membersecured at one portion to said actuating element and at the otherportion to said means in a position whereby a circumferentiallycontinuous portion of said sleeve member lies flat against said surfaceportion'in sealing relation to said orifice when said actuating elementis in one position and is displaced from said orifice when saidactuating element is in another position, and the portion of said sleevemember intermediate said secured portions is curved back upon itself,said actuating element having an opening therein providing communicationbetween the portions of said chamber on opposite sides of said sleevemember whereby said actuating element is exposed on both faces of saidintermediate portion of the same fluid pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

